I was grateful for the following letter from Eric, an 18-year-old who deals with Type 1 diabetes every day. Many of Concordia’s freshmen will read the book this fall. Few of them will relate to the story like Eric does!
Dear Dr. Ferry, I am currently reading your book Faith in the Freshmen. I’m an 18 year old kid who has diabetes, just like your son Andrew. In the small town of Sussex, WI, all I have thought about since i was young was the game of basketball. Basketball has rewarded me in so many ways, including keeping me fit, which helps keeping my blood sugars in tact. Your story is moving and motivational to me. Being a freshmen in high school I made the JV team. Then my sophomore year I was placed on varsity because, like your son, I can shoot the lights out. Due to some unfortunate circumstances I had to quit right before my junior year. Not playing for my last two years of high school really upset me and I still practice daily and have a passion for the game. I was wondering if you could give me some advice of how to get my name out to college coaches. I miss the competitive nature of the game, Division I, Division II, Division III, JUCO, it doesn’t matter…the love I have for the game is amazing, and playing college basketball, no matter what level, has been a dream of mine. If you don’t have the time to lend me some advice that is completely fine. Once again thank you for the amazing story that has truly changed my life. Also thank you for reading this e-mail. Sincerely, Eric Moderski
Andrew and his friend, Jake Barnett, have been workout partners for a long time. I talk about Jake a little bit in Faith in the Freshman. In this video, Andrew is at the right place at the right time. FOX 6 was doing a feature on Jake’s trip to Bulgaria this summer with Athletes in Action. They also interviewed Andrew and both guys talk about their plans for next year.
In “Faith in the Freshman” I mention that Andrew’s battle with type 1 diabetes began to draw local attention during his senior year at Milwaukee Lutheran. The following video includes a feature that aired several times on Milwaukee’s FOX affiliate in February, 2008.
She did it! 105 miles in 105 degree temperatures through Death Valley, California on her bicycle. Tammy Ferry’s months of training paid off. So did her fund-raising. She gathered more than $5000 for JDRF–the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Thanks so much to everyone who made a contribution. Research draws us closer each day to finding a cure to type 1 diabetes. You are helping to make that quest a success.
Her ride began Saturday morning at 7 o’clock. Tammy was in the saddle for 7 1/2 hours in what she described as “sort of a surreal experience.” The magnicent, rugged beauty provided a scenic backdrop for the riders–about 175 courageous women and men who set out together to cross Death Valley and defeat diabetes. No worse for wear, Tammy is pondering the possibility of a return trip next year! Read the rest of this entry »
Guard attacks diabetes, foes with great determination
by Anthony Witrado, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Originally published on January 28, 2008
Halftime is always a little different for Andrew Ferry.
When the Milwaukee Lutheran boys basketball players head to the locker room and take a seat, awaiting their mid-game speech, Ferry slips off to the side.
He takes out a hand-held machine and pushes a button. A small needle shoots from the device and into Ferry’s finger and quickly retracts, drawing a tiny blood sample. The machine then gives Ferry his blood-sugar level, and depending on the reading, he injects a certain amount of insulin into his body before returning to the team. Read the rest of this entry »
This is a commercial featuring Brewers broadcaster, Bill Schroeder and Andrew as American Diabetes Association Youth Ambassador. It is referenced in the book on page 140.
“CU Later Diabetes”! The Concordia t-shirts (beautifully colored in CUW Lake Blue and Sunrise Gold) showed our team’s determination to defeat this disease. Our captain, Peter Ferry, recruited our largest ever contingent of Concordia zoo-walkers for the annual JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) fundraiser. The Concordia team raised over $2300 to support research aimed at finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. Peter’s younger brothers, Andrew and Stephen, both are afflicted with type 1 diabetes. Some of Andrew Ferry’s story is chronicled in “Faith in the Freshman: A Story of Hopes and Hopes.” Click the read link to see more pictures. Read the rest of this entry »
Among my goals for writing Faith in the Freshman was to stimulate some conversations about things that are important to me. The art of parenting; wrestling with faith; dealing with disappointment; etc.
One specific topic that I hope we can dialogue about is diabetes and its impact–especially type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) and what young people like my sons, Andrew and Stephen, experience each day. With that in mind, I was delighted to hear from Bruce even before the book went to press. He has been involved in our marketing effort, and as he became more familiar with the material Bruce found that he had something in common with me. Thanks for writing, Bruce! Read the rest of this entry »
My wife, Tammy , is not taking our two sons’ type 1 diabetes lying down As a matter of fact she is riding her bike 105 miles through Death Valley, California on October 17, 2009 as part of a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) fundraiser. She has been training for weeks to prepare for the challenging ride through arduous terrain and uncertain weather conditions. She has also been seeking pledges of financial support from friends and family for the cause. To date she has raised about $1300 of her $5000 goal. Would you consider helping Tammy reaching her goal, and, more important, helping find a cure for diabetes? Check out Tammy’s website at www.ride.jdrf.org and click on the Donate tab. Type in Tammy Ferry and follow her progress!
At first, Andrew Ferry thought it was just a cold. And then his tongue turned white, his muscles cramped up and his thirst became unquenchable.
As a walk-on freshman with the Valparaiso University men’s basketball team, Ferry isn’t just fighting for playing time. He’s constantly fighting a disease that affects 23.6 million Americans, or nearly 8 percent of the population.
Ferry was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 16. The bad news came smack dab in the middle of basketball season — Jan. 1, 2006. Read the rest of this entry »
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER | Saturday, April 19, 2008
Jenna Klipfel, 21, a senior business major at Concordia University, takes part in the wiffle ball marathon to raise money for diabetes.
IRVINE – It’s the bottom of, let’s say, the 200th inning, and Concordia University freshman G.M. Ciallella cranks a pitch over the left field fence – also known as the school’s basketball gym – to tie the game 316-316.
Welcome to what’s billed as the world’s longest Wiffle Ball game, a 60-hour marathon that began on the college campus at midnight Friday, continued Saturday and was set to wrap up at noon today.
Partly a way to build campus spirit, the two-and-a-half-day ballgame was created as a fundraiser for diabetes. The dual motivations were on display as Ciallella took advantage of the opposing team’s inattention to dash home and score on a later play.
“Anything to win, anything to win,” hollered Ciallella, himself a diabetic. “I mean, it’s all about the cure. Sorry.” Read the rest of this entry »
The Orange County Register | Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Peter Ferry plays wiffle ball at Concordia University Irvine
Peter Ferry likes to play Wiffle ball, and he’ll be playing it at least once a year now while he’s studying at Irvine’s Concordia University.
Ferry, 19, a sophomore from Milwaukee, Wis., came up with the idea of trying to break the world record for longest Wiffle-ball game, to raise money for diabetes research, after Ferry’s dad, Patrick, said that he was the current record-holder, at 52 hours. Read the rest of this entry »
“CU Later Diabetes”! The Concordia t-shirts (beautifully colored in CUW Lake Blue and Sunrise Gold) showed our team’s determination to defeat this disease. Our captain, Peter Ferry, recruited our largest ever contingent of Concordia zoo-walkers for the annual JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) fundraiser. The Concordia team raised over $2300 to support research aimed at finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. Peter’s younger brothers, Andrew and Stephen, both are afflicted with type 1 diabetes. Some of Andrew Ferry’s story is chronicled in “Faith in the Freshman: A Story of Hopes and Hopes.” Click the read link to see more pictures. 
